Horse Powertrain opens Detroit office with 32 roles to serve US automakers
Horse Powertrain opened a new North America office in Detroit on 9 September 2026, adding 32 roles to support US automakers with combustion, hybrid and range-extended powertrains.
- 32
- Over 19,000
- More than 125 years
- More than 25
What Happened
Horse Powertrain opened its new North American office in Detroit, Michigan on 9 September 2026, describing the move as a significant milestone in its global capability growth. The company said the office is strategically positioned in the heartland of the US automotive industry and will predominantly cater to US clients. It will house 32 new roles across a range of business functions. The site adds to Horse Powertrain's existing regional facilities in Europe, China and South America.
32
Spread across a range of business functions at the new North America office, and part of the company's global capability growth.
- Combustion engines
- Hybrid systems
- Transmissions
- Power electronics
- Electric motors
Horse Powertrain specializes in powertrain-agnostic technology that automotive brands can use, covering combustion engines, hybrid systems, transmissions, power electronics and electric motors. Its pre-integrated powertrain systems are designed to cut the complexity and capital burden automakers face, letting them respond quickly to changing consumer demand, unlocking considerable capex savings and reducing the time-intensity of vehicle production. In North America it is bringing hybrid, plug-in hybrid and range-extended powertrains, drawing on an extensive catalogue of intellectual property and engineering heritage and delivering globally proven hardware.
“The opening of our new North American office is an important moment for Horse Powertrain. North America is a key strategic market for our company, and one that will benefit greatly from our world-class portfolio of combustion and hybrid powertrains. In the years ahead, we aim to establish ourselves as a major partner for North American OEMs as they continue to offer a diverse range of vehicles to consumers.”
“Having been born, raised, and spent most of my career in Michigan, it's a privilege to open Horse Powertrain's North America office in Detroit. This move marks the next step of our journey, allowing us to directly support local automakers by collaborating with them in deploying our next-gen combustion and hybrid powertrains in their vehicles. In the long-term, our aim is to establish a wider set of business functions in the US and establish Horse Powertrain as a major player in the North American automotive ecosystem.”
To mark the opening, Horse Powertrain held a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Detroit Regional Partnership and Southfield City Council. Dignitaries in attendance included David Coulter, an Oakland County executive, and Ken Siver, Mayor of the City of Southfield, along with a number of local business leaders. Horse Powertrain describes itself as an independent company with more than 125 years of heritage, operations in Europe, China and South America, over 19,000 employees and more than 25 customers around the world.
Previously from Horse Powertrain Limited
The Detroit opening follows a run of powertrain announcements from Horse Powertrain in the months before. On 8 September 2026 the company revealed the HORSE B20, a waterproof hybrid engine that can wade to 1.1 meters and tackle 100% grade climbs. In July 2026 it unveiled the HORSE D20 Methanol range-extender powertrain with an axial flux motor and a 47% fuel-to-energy conversion ratio, and in May 2026 it launched an upgraded HORSE V20 gasoline engine for mild- and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with production started in Skövde, Sweden.
- Horse Powertrain's HORSE B20 waterproof hybrid engine wades 1.1 m for off-road use
- Horse Powertrain reveals methanol REEV engine and generator with axial flux motor
- Horse Powertrain launches upgraded HORSE V20 engine for mild- and plug-in hybrid vehicles
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Horse Powertrain Limited's official releases.
Why this matters
The office puts a powertrain supplier with combustion, hybrid and electric technology physically inside the US automotive heartland, giving American automakers a local point of contact and adding 32 jobs in the Detroit area. Horse Powertrain calls North America a key strategic market and says it aims to become a major partner to North American OEMs. Buyers and local suppliers could feel the effect as those OEMs roll out a more diverse range of vehicles.
Terms in This Story
- OEM
- Original Equipment Manufacturer: a company that builds vehicles sold under its own brand.
- powertrain-agnostic
- Describes technology engineered to work across different propulsion systems rather than being tied to a single one.
- range-extended powertrain
- A setup in which an engine generates electricity for an electrically driven vehicle, extending how far it can travel.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.